tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106Mon, 01 Dec 2014 11:31:18 +0000self helpchangelearningsocietygoalsinspiringconfidencehappinessidentityclear thinkinglifestylephilosophytime managementoptimismeconomicslifecreativityvideocommunicationdevelopmentlogotherapyrelationshipssuccessvisualisinggovernmentplanningproductivitybusinesscommunityglobalisationpoliticspsychologysimplifyeducationhealthprosperityreviewNLPenvironmentwritingemotionsfinancefuturelonelinessmoneybooksmemesreligiontheorythingswebsitehowtonatureprofessional developmenttechnologyglobal warmingopen sourceCultivating the MindThink and growhttp://www.cultivatingthemind.com/noreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)Blogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-7213610393538060727Mon, 16 Apr 2012 04:33:00 +00002012-10-24T22:54:24.833+11:00open sourcesocietyWhy is open source important?Open source brings people's knowledge together for something greater then money and personal glory. <br /> <br /> Open source is the true pursuit of equality; information is shared with everyone equally. Why should one person have dominion over a good idea? Too often are people trapped because they lack good information.<br /> <br /> A company can be judged good or bad by how they acquired their advantage. Do they withhold information? Is society being taxed by companies with an exclusive ownership of a design.<br /> <br /> When intellectual knowledge is shared; collaboration is the product. People start working together creating synergies. This is the power of open source, it creates communities instead of competitors.<br /> <br /> People should not be limited by their access to good ideas, they should only be limited by their effort.<br /><br /><strong>Related Links</strong><br /><a href="http://yearofopensource.net">Year of Open Source</a>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2012/04/why-is-open-source-important.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-4693528647532773450Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:02:00 +00002012-04-16T14:38:14.478+10:00happinessprosperityWhat is the Secret to Happiness.<p>Some people think they deserve happiness. Wrong. The secret to happiness is learning how to be happy with the life you have.</p>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2012/01/what-is-secret-to-happiness.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-8304841844534993386Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:35:00 +00002012-11-28T09:18:51.725+11:00developmenteducationWhy do Teenagers Argue?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Adults easily forget Teenagers are at the age when they are learning to be independent. Feeling safe making mistakes is an integral part of developing trust in oneself. <br /><br />Rebelling against authority is part of evolving into an individual person. It is the stage in one's life when a young adult learns to make decisions based on personal knowledge; moving from being dependant to independent.</div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2012/01/why-do-teenagers-always-argue.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-8524397839816115460Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:32:00 +00002012-12-08T22:23:51.104+11:00changeclear thinkingconfidenceHow to be GreatWhen you are running as fast as you can, there is point when it becomes incredibly hard and boring. This is the point when 99.9% of people quit. <br /><br />Everybody wants to know how to make greatness, but who is willing to do the hard work? Few are able to navigate the lonely and difficult path to the pinnacle, it takes extreme effort to change and improve. <br /> <br /> To become great at something one will need to think for themselves. Greatness by definition is rare; to get there one cannot follow another. The person will need to look inwards for the answers. <br /> <br /> Great achievers ignore past failure and are motivated by a challenge. They seek out the opportunity try what others fear and judge to be too much work.http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2012/01/how-can-i-become-great.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-6515313143780128988Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:21:00 +00002011-11-26T09:21:00.207+11:00successWhat is Success?<p>All of my proudest moments have come from directing my time and effort into something.</p><p>Productive people successfully channel their time into a project. Success comes from the ability to defer pleasure. All effort comes with discomfort and even pain.</p><p>People often fail because they are over stimulated and unfocused. Be more productive, don’t sit and watch a screen all day, and don’t be on a treadmill going nowhere. Have an interesting life and leave your mark on the world.</p><p>Maximise your work by refining what you have done previously.</p>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/09/what-is-success.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-8180252017382778268Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:18:00 +00002012-05-27T02:28:47.403+10:00clear thinkingprosperitysuccessthingsWhy should I be Frugal?<div style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr">Frugal living isn't about deprivation. The aim is to live without waste. By not wasting what you have, you appreciate everything has a value, and are more likely to be satisfied with what you already have. The goal of frugal living is to reduce waste and see the value in things. A frugal mind travels lightly.</div><p>Frugal living means smarter spending. Frugal living means harnessing your creativity.</p><div style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr"></div><h2 style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr"><strong>How to be Frugal</strong></h2><p style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr"><strong> </strong>Ask what do I really need? Do I need a bed to sleep? Do I need a towel for the beach? What is luxury and what is necessity? How can I use what I already have?</p><div style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr"><ul><li>food</li><li>shelter</li><li>health</li><li>An interest</li></ul><h2>Don't be Greedy</h2><ul></ul>Greed is one of the seven deadly sins. Can you can see why? Greed never knows enough. Greed distorts how people think and only serves one person. Having enough reduces stress. It clears the mind to focus on life rather then never feeling satisfied. Simplicity, trains the mind to appreciate more, with less.</div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/11/frugal-living.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-3741065820634985413Mon, 07 Nov 2011 04:35:00 +00002012-12-08T22:49:39.999+11:00clear thinkinghealthHow do I Choose my FoodFood is an essential part of life, it sustains our existence. Food is more then functional, it has become part of our culture and plays a big part in our social lives. Here I would like to examine the effect of food on our thinking or how our thinking effects our diet.<br /><ul><br /><li>What motivates people to eat? </li><br /><li>It must be more then hunger, because so many people are over weight.</li><br /><li>Why does the brain/body trick people into over eating?</li><br /></ul><br /><strong>Why do I Eat the Wrong Food?</strong><br />Recently I was in a popular food chain. While waiting in line, reading the menu I tried to decide what to eat; none of the food seemed appealing. I glanced at a picture on the wall of a meal that looked delicious, and looked back at the menu to see how much it cost. My eyes had activated some part of my senses and made me feel hungry.<br /><br />I ordered the meal in the picture, and waited a minute or two for it to be prepared. It wasn’t long before I was sitting down ready to eat. The food in front of me didn’t look anything like the picture on the menu. I wasn’t surprised, I had eaten here enough times to know it wouldn’t.<br /><br />So how did it taste? Did it taste the same as the food in the picture? One moment, is it possible for food to taste the same as it looks in a picture? I had chosen a meal on how it looked. My appetite was stimulated with my eyes. If that is true, then all the advertising with pictures of food might be triggering my hunger.<br /><br />This moment triggered an exploration into what decides the food people eat. Why was I buying junk food? What is junk food? Looking at the queue of people lining up to buy a quick meal, others had made the same choice.<br /><br /><strong>Food Selection</strong><br />I am aware that queuing for food didn’t happen in nature. Lining up to choose a meal is a man made creation. Why hadn’t I chosen to eat healthy? How do people choose the food to eat? How should I choose my food?<br /><br />Animals are born in the wild and know what to eat, it’s in their DNA. A lion doesn’t wonder the savannah grazing on vegetation, it is in their nature to hunt animals. Hunting for food is hard work, and dangerous. A lion isn’t going chase down food if it doesn’t need to. For many people, this natural process of selection isn’t what guides food selection. It is all to easy to consume the wrong foods and too much. A persons natural ability to follow their food instincts has been lost. That is why for this article I’ve not consulted other books. It’s an experiment to discover my own thoughts about food, to look inside myself and explore my relationship with food.</p><br /><br /><strong>Food and Environment</strong><br />The environment people live in plays a big part in food selection. Let’s look at a few examples.<br /><ul><br /><li>In a thriving community their is plenty of food and a trip to the supermarket or local restaurant is where most peoples food comes from.</li><br /><li>In a war torn community, food will probably be scarce and people will eat what ever is available.</li><br /></ul><br /><br />Think about it. If you were starving, their would be no need to consult a book to see if food was healthy. Any food would be better then none. Food selection is more of a problem when their is too much choice.<br /><ul><br /><li>In an isolated community, people will eat what is available locally. </li><br /></ul><br /><strong>The Business of Food</strong><br />A city provides food in unnatural ways. The ingredients need to come from far away, no one can source their food from the street as a hunter gatherer would have in the past.<br /><br />Walking into a supermarket is designed to stimulate peoples appetite beyond their needs. As my mum would say “Peoples eyes are bigger then their stomach.” Modern food shopping is a low calorie method of gathering food, and makes it easy to over consume. People would eat less if it was more work to purchase foodstuffs.<br /><br />A lot of the time we are eating food designed to meet a business model and not peoples health. Food chains design their menu around what people will buy, not people’s dietary needs. The food is compromised by business decisions. Business will say they are serving the customer. This is true, but somewhere along the way food stopped being about survival, and became a pass-time. There are many different reasons people choose the food they eat. I noticed watching ‘Little Big Chef’ many people choose their food out of habit. Health and nutrition are low on their priorities.<br /><br /><strong>How do we Choose our Food?</strong><br />How people select their food depends on their social group, and who they identify themselves with.<br /><ul><br /><li>Italian food</li><br /><li>French food</li><br /><li>Asian food</li><br /><li>Health food</li><br /><li>Vegetarian</li><br /><li>Family</li><br /><li>Tv dinner</li><br /></ul><br />This is probably where the saying ‘You are what you eat!’ originates from. Peoples lifestyle has a strong influence on their diet. Economic circumstances also play a part, but less so in economically developed nations.<br /><br />People aren’t willing to pay the price for what it costs to be nutritious. So the consumer isn’t choosing what is healthy, they are choosing what they can afford or what they have time for.</p><br /><br /><strong>What is guiding your choice of food?</strong><br /><ul><br /><li>It was on special at the supermarket.</li><br /><li>My best friend said it’s delicious.</li><br /><li>The food is a delicacy in some far off place.</li><br /></ul><br /><br /><strong>Conclusion</strong><br />Don't take your food for granted it could be ruining your lifehttp://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/11/food-for-thought.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-7488906069108015630Sat, 22 Oct 2011 03:00:00 +00002012-12-15T23:38:53.357+11:00communicationcommunitydevelopmentenvironmentglobalisationlifestylerelationshipssocietyWhat Can a Person Learn from Travelling?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Why do people travel? What are people searching for when they travel? How does travel change a person’s thinking? What kind of travel changes a persons thinking?<br /><br />When travelling to a foreign country where you can’t speak the language, the experience is similar to watching TV with the sound turned off. What people say doesn’t matter, instead you focus on what people do. The focus is more on how people behave and less what they say. Communication becomes about action and speech secondary.<br /><br />Why do people want to visit a city? What makes a tourist attraction? What is the significance of traveling to a landmark?<br /><br />On a vacation in Europe it is interesting to explore how mindsets change with geography. Tradition is how a city's people has learned to live together. Multicultural societies can cause friction when cities with strong traditions cannot integrate the customs of the new immigrants.<br /><br />The world won’t change to fit the way individuals see the world, if life makes a person unhappy the world will not change to make the person happy, the person will need to change and learn how to think positively about the world. Part of the process for change is taking initiative and adapting the how you think. A person's thought needs to create their environment. Initiative is the talent that will give a person control over their life.<br /><br />People who live in large cities live to a different beat, then people who live in a small town. Why does activity increase in large cities? Why are people in a hurry? Are people who live in small towns more in time with nature? Does a shortage of time create stress?http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/10/what-can-person-learn-from-travelling.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-1851060841165276854Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:18:00 +00002011-10-16T14:15:10.843+11:00clear thinkingenvironmentsocietyIs Society in Harmony with Nature?<h2 id="nature">Nature</h2><blockquote><p>A lion is a lion and knows how to be a lion, the lion doesn’t try to be an elephant.</p></blockquote><p>People have a habit of thinking they are above nature, and ignore their instincts. Animals in the wild don’t have this problem, they live in an ecosystem; everything has its place and lives in balance.</p><p>People try to change nature and be something they’re not. It is east to forget people are part of the environment when living in a city. Ignoring we are part of a system can cause problems.</p><p>Society has created expanding list of mental problems. Mental illness can arise from an artificial life. When society ignores the natural laws, people suffer.</p><h2 id="naturedeficitdisorder">Nature Deficit Disorder</h2><p>The laws of nature are part of life. We are part of the environment. The mind cannot think independently of mother earth, the mind is part of a system; everything is connected. The environment has a pull on us, and we a pull on it.</p><p>Humans have the power to appreciate or destroy the environment, for nature to survive harmony is needed.</p>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/10/is-society-in-harmony-with-nature.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-9113037305518998641Fri, 07 Oct 2011 23:20:00 +00002012-08-03T11:53:42.889+10:00clear thinkingenvironmenthappinessphilosophytime managementIs Society in Time with Nature?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h2 id="nature">Are we in Sync?</h2>The day is divided into daylight hours and night hours. What do we need daylight for? Nature has its own clock, do you pay attention to it? Do you pay attention to natures timing, like the seasons? People have forgotten the natural rhythms of life. Modern society is paying less and less attention to the seasons. Are people better off? Could life improve by paying more attention to the earths clock?<br />Think of the world and all it’s plants, how do they mature and what is their purpose? Different plants reach their beauty at different times or seasons. A tree is beautiful even after death, it is used to build houses and furnish dwellings. Is their purpose to a tree’s life? Humans have the power to appreciate or destroy nature. For nature to survive harmony is needed.<br /><blockquote><em>You must turn outward and become a keen observer of all that is around you. You are doing battle against all the fantasies that are thrown at you. You are tightening your connection to the environment. You want clarity, not escape and confusion.</em> -The 50th Law, by 50 Cent, Robert Greene</blockquote></div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/10/nature.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-6805092892494986610Sat, 01 Oct 2011 02:44:00 +00002011-10-06T19:19:16.546+11:00changedevelopmenteducationgoalslearninglogotherapyphilosophyself helpIntroduction to Cultivating the Mind<p>I’m a wanna be philosopher, and I have a passion for asking questions; questions that grow from deep thought. Cultivating the Mind sprouted from the fertile soil of curiosity. Let me explain.</p><h2>What is the Philosophy of Cultivating the Mind</h2><blockquote><em>Every thought seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own, blossoming sooner or later into act, and bearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bad fruit.</em> - As A Man Thinketh by James Allen</blockquote><div style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cultivating the Mind.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hx7Zmngcozo/ToKH_Q9AQ_I/AAAAAAAACp0/FiwsjJP2dsk/Cultivating%252520the%252520Mind.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cultivating the Mind" width="215" height="203" /><br /> The name ‘Cultivating the Mind’ derives from believing '<em>the mind is a garden where seeds of thought grow',</em> and ‘<em>cultivating</em>’ alludes to the minds need for care and attention, to grow productively. While an '<em>uncultivated mind'</em> is left to grow wild and without care, allowing an abundance of useless thoughts; weeds to grow.</div><div style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr"><h2 id="weedoutbadthought" style="font-size: 1.5em;"><p>Weed out Bad Thought</p></h2><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 0px initial initial;" title="Cultivating the Mind- weeds.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lUBvDOj625k/ToKICc2GjwI/AAAAAAAACqA/GrlqlEg2rf8/Cultivating%252520the%252520Mind-%252520weeds.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="weeds" width="250" height="261" /><br />Bad ideas are distractions that infest the mind like weeds. Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, a person must tend to their mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts. <br /><br /><blockquote style="border-left-width: 4px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: #777777; margin-left: 34px; padding-left: 10px;">Your going to reap, just what you sow. - Perfect Day, Lou Reed.</blockquote></div><h2 id="howtogrowahealthymind"><p>How to Grow a Healthy Mind</p></h2><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cultivating the Mind- Nourishing.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AcAY39jtj_k/ToKIBQNFh2I/AAAAAAAACp8/yttEGl_pJng/Cultivating%252520the%252520Mind-%252520Nourishing.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt=" Nourishing Questions" width="250" height="212" /><br /> For a healthy seed of thought to grow it needs to be nourished. Curiosity is the fertile soil in which an idea can take root. <br /> <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cultivating the Mind- Style Guide-1.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dOXkzUT4iEE/ToKIDkbku6I/AAAAAAAACqE/_DqjCwtQZN4/Cultivating%252520the%252520Mind-%252520Style%252520Guide-1.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="fruitful thinking" width="250" height="258" />A good seed of thought begins with a good question, making the mind curious and productive, while bad questions make a person worry and nervous.</p><blockquote>Questions plant the seed of an idea that grows into a persons life.</blockquote><h2 id="nothoughtcanliveinisolation"><p> </p></h2>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/10/cultivating-mind.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-9023080333563994335Sat, 24 Sep 2011 01:16:00 +00002012-11-27T09:55:12.391+11:00clear thinkingcommunityglobalisationgovernmentpoliticssocietyHard Questions about Patriotism<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><img alt="United nations flag" border="0" height="204" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K5MY_zZU_eE/Tmq6g8lKtxI/AAAAAAAACpg/F4kTSywAWew/united%252520nations%252520flag.jpeg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="united nations flag.jpeg" width="204" /><br />How do people connect with their country? Does geography change the way people think? Does patriotism create monocultures? Are monocultures good? Do monocultures stifle creativity? Are successful cities diverse and multicultural or traditional and a monoculture?<br /><br />Do I belong to a country? Should I fight for my country or for my beliefs? Which is more important? If people didn't belong to a country, would there be wars? If people belong to a country, to whom does the country belong? Do people get treated differently, depending on the country they were born in?Who has the power to make rules for a country? What power does one country have over another? Do people fight for their country, the values of their social system, or the desires of people in power?<br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><strong>Related Posts</strong></h3><a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/03/patriotic-duty.html">Patriotic Duty</a><br /><a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2010/08/what-makes-criminal.html">What Makes a Criminal?</a></div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/09/hard-questions-about-patriotism.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-1876729727507171815Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:32:00 +00002011-11-18T10:06:52.768+11:00confidenceidentitypsychologyself helpWhat is Psycho-Cybernetics?<p> </p><div style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NrZ658HwmAA/SKY0tXwZWrI/AAAAAAAABMg/f_CATziERiU/s1600-h/880394_shame.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234929570940541618" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0pt;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NrZ658HwmAA/SKY0tXwZWrI/AAAAAAAABMg/f_CATziERiU/s200/880394_shame.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> Psycho-Cybernetics might sound complicated, but it is based on the simple principle of substituting negative thinking with encouraging and strengthening thoughts to build confidence. To sum up Psycho-Cybernetics in one sentence:<br /><blockquote style="border-left-color: #777777; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; margin-left: 34px; padding-left: 10px;">“How you think makes ALL the difference.”</blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Cybernetics-New-More-Living-Life/dp/0671700758?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=cultthemind-20&amp;link_code=btl&amp;camp=213689&amp;creative=392969" target="_blank">Psycho-Cybernetics</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=cultthemind-20&amp;l=btl&amp;camp=213689&amp;creative=392969&amp;o=1&amp;a=0671700758" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> was started by cosmetic surgeon Dr. Maxwell Maltz.</div><p><strong>What does Pscycho-Cybernetics mean?</strong></p><p>The term <em>psycho</em> refers to the <strong>mind</strong> and <em>cybernetics</em> refers to <strong>a self regulating feedback system</strong> (e.g like a thermostat). Psycho-Cybernetics explains the mechanisms used to create a positive self image.</p><p><strong>How to Change</strong><br /> Dr Maltz was a plastic surgeon. He noticed some of his patients after surgery suffered from low self-esteem. These patients had emotional scars from their past, leading to an inaccurate self-image. The old self image they had would sabotage their attempt to change. Dr. Maltz saw the unhappy behaviour as the result of negative self feedback. The negative feedback came from focusing on an old memory, rather then focusing on the corrective action.</p><p>The solution was to create an accurate and positive view of themselves.</p><p>He theorised that everyone has an <em>Automatic-Success Mechanism</em>, a natural ability to achieve goals. Generally when people lack confidence it is caused by paying too much attention to the past. To activate the <em>automatic-success mechanism</em> the person would vividly visualise a successful future and encouraging future.</p><p>For example, when a guided missile is fired, it will correct its course by focusing on the target. People can also correct their behaviour by focusing on their goals, and not looking for solutions in their past.</p><p>Dr. Maltz found he could improve a persons confidence by helping the individual create a positive and accurate mental image of themselves. The process is referred to as <em>theatre of the mind</em>, or synthetic experience. In an example of how it works, Dr. Maltz had three teams of basketball players, train in three different ways:</p><ol><li>One team practices making free throws.</li><li>The second team doesn't practice.</li><li>The third team sits on a bench and mentally practices making free throws.</li></ol><p>When the three teams are tested, the team that practiced out-scored the team that didn't practice. However, the team that mentally practiced performs nearly as well as the team that actually practiced.</p><p><strong>Setting Goals</strong><br /> To program your <em>Automatic Success Mechanism</em>, set your goals in a clear, precise and detailed manner. Have a <em>sense of direction</em>. You don't need to know how to get there - you just have to be clear about your intended destination.</p><p><strong>Related Links</strong><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea46z4YTPV0&amp;list=PL41A8AA3EAEAB1A3F&amp;index=11">Interview with Dr. Maxwell Maltz(Psycho Cybernetics)</a> - youtube video<br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBEwOY4Ny7g&amp;list=PL41A8AA3EAEAB1A3F&amp;index=13">The Seven Books That Changed My Life - Part 4 of 7</a> - youtube video</p>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/09/what-is-psycho-cybernetics.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-6585105870473463202Fri, 02 Sep 2011 01:44:00 +00002011-09-16T10:49:00.946+10:00identityHow to Discover Who You Are?<p style="text-align: center;"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="1044093_just_watching.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AGcVJT-BAb8/TnKc-p5gHtI/AAAAAAAACpo/s3QvQBT-18Q/1044093_just_watching.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="reflection of self" width="300" height="200" /> photo by <a href="http://www.sxc.hu/profile/emuman">Sebastian Laube</a></p><p>The life you live is a reflection of who <strong>you think</strong>, you are.</p><div style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr"><ul><li>Does your work reflect what you care about?</li><li>Do your words communicates your love?</li><li>Does your effort reflect your ambition?</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr">Take time to look at your life and see what it is telling you. I am not saying there is a problem in your life. I am not saying to look for problems in your life. I am just saying look and see what your life looks like to other people. Then compare your personal view with the view other people see.</div><p><strong>Related Post</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/09/what-is-psycho-cybernetics.html">What is Psycho-Cybernetics?</a><br /> <br /></p>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2008/08/who-are-you.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-4760943577250947513Sat, 27 Aug 2011 02:53:00 +00002012-08-07T15:14:55.442+10:00communicationconfidencefuturehappinesslifestyleself helpSay No?<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="choice.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5JcH5foE24Q/TlhcHhfVR0I/AAAAAAAACpY/zr-T5gEiCuY/choice.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="His way, our way, their way" width="200" height="173" border="0" /></p><p>Many people think 'no' is a bad word, that it is a form of rejection. Lets have a look at why this attitude is wrong.</p><p>Answering ‘no’ can be positive, when it is used to take control of your life. Because until you say ‘no’, your life will always be controlled by others. Saying 'yes' to everything has a high price if you loose control, and become a slave to someone.</p><p>In a world of unlimited choices ‘no’ is a very important word. Saying ‘No’ is not negative: it is seeing all the options and part of making a choice. Saying 'no' is deciding what isn't valuable. Not everything is worth saying 'yes' too.</p><p>What do you think? Is saying 'no' wrong, or does it give a person control?</p><p><strong>Related Posts</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2007/10/what-is-best-way-to-express-no.html">What is the Best Way to Say 'No'?</a></p>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/08/should-i-say-no.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-51505908420881315Sun, 21 Aug 2011 07:01:00 +00002011-09-28T13:08:07.923+10:00changeclear thinkingcreativityeducationgoalsinspiringlifelifestyleoptimismplanningproductivityprosperityself helptime managementHow can I Improve?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><em>This post is an <a href="http://www.timelessinformation.com/bad-stuff-happens-dreams-are-made/">edited version</a> of a guest post I wrote on Armen’s blog <a href="http://www.timelessinformation.com/">Timeless Information</a>.</em><br /><h2>Turn Ideas into Action</h2><blockquote>More often than not our jobs are something that we endure; we live for our time off and dream of the future. -The 50th Law (Robert Greene and 50 Cent)</blockquote>Recently the lottery had jack potted to a ridiculous amount,&nbsp;and every one at work were talking and dreaming about winning.<br />It started me thinking about peoples dreams and aspirations. Many people dream of a better life, and dream of winning the lottery so they can spend all their time lounging around and being on permanent vacation. Could the dream of winning the lottery be limiting people from creating their own success?<br />A person's life depends on action; if you are not working at improving your situation, how can life improve? I imagine if your reading this you might be looking for inspiration. I believe success is 80% inspiration 20% hard work. Inspiration is the motivation for hard work, everything else is a distraction.<br />Where does inspiration come from?<br /><h2 id="knowyourfuture">Know Your Future</h2><blockquote>Every child grows up with a dream for their future. A child’s dream is built around everything important to the child. -The 50th Law (Robert Greene and 50 Cent)</blockquote>That dream you had as a child doesn’t disappear, it is worn away by life’s distractions.<br /><blockquote>We lose sight of our objectives and end up following some detour. This is the source of so many of the failures in our lives. -The 50th Law (Robert Greene and 50 Cent)</blockquote><h2 id="shithappensdreamsaremade">Shit happens, Dreams are Made</h2>Dreams don’t just happen, for a dream to come true it needs to be worked on. Dreams come true when the dreamer is willing to do the hard work. As hard as the work might be, it is a small price compared to the reward of making a dream come true. Reading Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’ I learned life is a journey of transformation and dreams need to be worked on. Only those dedicated to their vision are rewarded.<br /><blockquote>Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure. You’ve got to find the treasure, so that everything you have learned along the way can make sense. -The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho</blockquote>With a strong heart and by creating true love we learn to accept all the hardships in our life. Love is the deep meaning in our life that carries us forward.<br />All the while it is important to live in the present moment. Remembering, what is done now decides the future.<br /><h2 id="aclearmindisadisciplinedmind">A Clear Mind is a Disciplined Mind</h2>Don’t just have a dream, turn your vision into action. Clear thinking plans the details and takes the action necessary for making dreams come true.<br /><blockquote>From this knowledge, you shape the project itself, grounding it in reality rather than in airy concepts in your head. Operating this way helps you slow your mind down and develop patience for detailed work, an essential skill for mastering any craft. -The 50th Law (Robert Greene and 50 Cent)</blockquote>To think clearly requires discipline. Discipline gives the individual power to control one’s thoughts and actions. A disciplined mind is predictable. The mind isn’t in constant flux. You need faith in yourself and ability.<br />True meaning in your life doesn’t change with the weather, but is a guiding star to plan your life by.<br /><blockquote>We are not engaged in the daily activity of the job with our full mental powers because it is not as exciting as life outside work. We develop less and less tolerance for dull moments and repetitive activity. -The 50th Law (Robert Greene and 50 Cent)</blockquote><h2 id="discipline">Discipline</h2>There are two kinds of discipline, self discipline and enforced discipline:<br /><ul><li><em>Enforced discipline</em> puts a price on certain actions. E.g If I don’t do this, something bad will happen.</li><li><em>Self discipline</em> sees the value of correct action. E.g If I do this, I will be rewarded.</li></ul><blockquote>The fearless types in history inevitably display in their lives a higher tolerance than most of us for repetitive, boring tasks. This allows them to excel in their field and master their craft. -The 50th Law (Robert Greene and 50 Cent)</blockquote>Many people get trapped by planning their life around enforced discipline.<br /><h2 id="planyourday">Plan Your Day</h2>Clear thinking plans the details necessary for completing a goal, and is prepared for the future. Everything needs to happen at the right moment; there needs to be consistent effort. Un-realised dreams are the result of poor planning.<br />Break down a big project into bite size steps.<br /><blockquote>Remember: anything will give way to a sustained, persistent attack on your part. -The 50th Law (Robert Greene and 50 Cent)</blockquote>Don’t let life pass you by. Be prepared. Everything doesn’t happen all at once.<br /><blockquote>You cannot persist on two or three paths, so avoid that temptation. -The 50th Law (Robert Greene and 50 Cent)</blockquote>We want to achieve many things in life, but&nbsp;isn’t meant to be easy. Each achievement needs to be worked on, and executed at the right moment. It is important to plan your day to be in harmony with life. Success isn't random. It comes from a vision and working on the details necessary for completing a goal (make a dream real).<br />Unfinished dreams are the result of poor planning. Allow each moment to shine a light on what is important and needs to be done.<br />Tasks that don’t get completed are -not relevant. -are too complicated and need to be broken down into action steps. -out of date. -rescheduled<br />Remember sacrifice is the price of success.<br />Clear thinking programs your brain to focus on the present moment. Clear thinking programs your brain to execute what you learn.<br /><h2 id="sweetdreams">Sweet Dreams</h2>Your life is right here, right now. Your future is decided by what you choose to do. Society and the future of civilisation is in your hands.<br /><blockquote>Greatness consists not in the holding of some future office, but really consists in doing great deeds with little means and the accomplishment of vast purposes from the private ranks of life. To be great at all one must be great here, now, in Philadelphia. He who can give to this city better streets and better sidewalks, better schools and more colleges, more happiness and more civilisation, more of God, he will be great anywhere. -Acres of Diamonds (Russell H. Conwell)</blockquote></div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/08/how-can-i-improve-my-life.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-4162737619616211083Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:49:00 +00002011-06-23T10:49:14.554+10:00clear thinkingcreativityeducationBlind Faith<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span id="goog_4740192"></span><span id="goog_4740193"></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mc00bozDNDQ/TEunVrh5CtI/AAAAAAAAClQ/gsUUHUO4VPg/s1600/photo-1.PNG-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mc00bozDNDQ/TEunVrh5CtI/AAAAAAAAClQ/gsUUHUO4VPg/s1600/photo-1.PNG-1.jpg" /></a></div>The blind man has faith. He believes that his thoughts reflect the world. In a way I think everyone is blind. How long did people believe the world was flat? People lived their lives believing they could fall off the edge of the world, blind to the fact the world was round.<br />With each new discovery we have the chance to see more, to see better. But when you are blind, chances are you will be cautious to go where you haven’t been before? The mirror tricks us into believing we can see who we are, when all it is doing is reflecting light. A person’s power lies in being in control over their own thoughts<br /><br />.</div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/06/blind-faith.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-6274285616076783797Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:47:00 +00002011-06-23T10:47:32.472+10:00educationgovernmentsocietyPatriotic Duty<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">We have it drummed in our heads that we belong to our country and it is wrong to disagree with the government, we must fight for them and follow their rules/laws. It's unpatriotic if we don't.<br />An idea is good or bad on it's own merit, patriotism shouldn't be a consideration. Government has us believing that we must vote on the choices they offer, but what if we want to make our own choice, can we? What is the penalty for making our own choice?<br />When you reflect on some of the most unjust acts in history, people were be patriotic; to better the country. Unfortunately patriotism can stop people from thinking for themselves.<br />What happens to a nation when the people stop thinking as an individual?<br />We may think it is unjust for one man to kill another, but why does a government see it fair to kill in the name of a country. In the jungle the strong rule by their own hand, not because other animals will do their dirty deeds.<br />Have you ever heard the government say, "It is our patriotic duty to..."<br />It might sound like I'm an anarchist, well I'm not. I do believe in harmony. I just feel that the world has too much politics.<br />How can a government be trusted if it lies to the people?<br />In my opinion patriotism, is just another form of prejudice.<br /><strong>Related Posts</strong><br /><a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2010/08/what-makes-criminal.html">What makes a criminal?</a></div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/03/patriotic-duty.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-6878501600532937427Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:40:00 +00002011-06-23T10:25:49.249+10:00writingThe Origin of Cultivating the Mind.<h2 id="whydoiwrite"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cultivating the Mind- Style Guide.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_NrZ658HwmAA/TUib5nKEVAI/AAAAAAAAClk/FIzOm_FfZF0/Cultivating%20the%20Mind-%20Style%20Guide.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cultivating the Mind- Style Guide.jpg" width="191" height="185" /></h2><h2>Why do I write?</h2><p>My writing has grown from a hard period in my life. It started during the last three years of high school. School in general was difficult for me. Socially I didn’t know how to relate with classmates. I can remember feeling numb, even dumb. To deal with the hard times I became very self absorbed and withdrew into myself. Writing was a reflection of my thoughts. See my life in words on a page help put my life in perspective.</p><p>My current outlook is optimistic.</p><blockquote><p>Sometimes people lives are a snapshot from the past. They live on a good memory from the past. Failing to see the world has changed.</p></blockquote><p>In the past I withdrew because I was unable to deal with my emotions or with other peoples emotional response. It took me a long time to realise my problems came from an ineffective view of the world. I was trapped with a child’s view of the world. [<a title="blog post" href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2010/01/what-am-i-here-to-do.html">What am I here for?</a>]</p><p>Now I have learned life is a mission to connect with people; a desire to communicate. [<a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/06/seeds-of-thought.html">A Seed of Thought</a>]</p><p>I am trying to write for other people and be less self absorbed. This means interacting and being social. It isn’t always easy, but it is worth the effort because nothing is better then being surrounded by good people - friends and family.</p><p><strong>Related Posts</strong></p><ul><li><a title="blog post" href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2010/01/what-am-i-here-to-do.html">What am I here for?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/06/seeds-of-thought.html">A Seed of Thought</a></li></ul>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/06/origin-of-cultivating-mind.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-5734099206477465487Tue, 07 Jun 2011 03:02:00 +00002012-11-27T09:27:34.562+11:00communicationcommunitylogotherapyphilosophysocietyvisualisingSeeds of thought<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><img alt="Cultivating the Mind Philosophy" border="0" height="102" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Q3lzkCXUZT8/TgFKAtokHxI/AAAAAAAACn8/WUCmxc2QS18/Cultivating%252520the%252520Mind-%252520Philosophy.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cultivating the Mind- Philosophy.jpg" width="300" /><br />Think of yourself as part of nature and your thoughts as seeds that grow into world. With communication your ideas touch other peoples thoughts, helping to spread an idea. Like bees in a garden, conversation is used to <em>pollinate</em> ideas<span style="font-size: 11px;">; </span> so thoughts can grow and blossom into a fruitful, productive action.<br /><br />A seed of thought fruits when&nbsp;action&nbsp;is taken to create.<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">To sow love, think and act with love.</blockquote>What seeds of thought are you growing?</div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/06/seeds-of-thought.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-3051217773642202518Tue, 10 May 2011 23:51:00 +00002011-09-28T13:08:26.683+10:00clear thinkingnaturevisualisingHow Can I Change?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I have often wanted to change my life, thinking the grass was greener in other pastures. Lately I have noticed there are two kinds of change:<br /><ul><li>Trying to be something I’m not.</li><li>Improving who I already am.</li></ul>The problem with wanting to change your life, is you are approaching the task from the wrong angle.<br />The aim shouldn’t be to change; you are what you are. Instead your goal is to be the best version of yourself. The goal is to unravel the person you are and become better at being you. Blossom, let your natural self show through.<br />What is in your nature?<br />Think of it like this, your life is a progression through locked doors. The only doors you can pass through are the doors you have the keys to. Their is no way through a door without a key.<br /><h2 id="thenoisesvoicesinyourhead">The Noise in your Head</h2>Are the neurones in your mind firing, making you exited or is there just noise; a lot of things happening but nothing that can hold your attention. The noise is a distraction, it is stopping you from hearing your natural voice. Learn to quieten the noise.</div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/05/how-can-i-change.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-3940266817372846859Sat, 09 Apr 2011 01:45:00 +00002011-04-09T19:21:44.548+10:00changecommunityinspiringoptimismSoldiers of Evil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NrZ658HwmAA/SJUNgh_gaiI/AAAAAAAABL0/dPs9MU7dQK8/s1600-h/193524_hands.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230101394792409634" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NrZ658HwmAA/SJUNgh_gaiI/AAAAAAAABL0/dPs9MU7dQK8/s200/193524_hands.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px;" /></a><br />Are you a hand for peace or a soldier for evil?<br /><br />photo by <a href="http://www.sxc.hu/profile/Niecey">Denise Docherty</a></div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2008/04/soldiers-of-evil.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-3700528123514997750Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:03:00 +00002011-09-28T13:08:47.185+10:00clear thinkingconfidencelogotherapyNLPoptimismself helpHow to Overcome Fear?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">What is fear? How do we remove fear?<br /><blockquote>Yes. A Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware the dark side. Anger,<em> fear</em>, aggression. The dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice. ―Yoda to Luke</blockquote>It is hard to understand the nature of fear by looking at oneself. It is better to step away from the topic and look at fear from a distance. For my example I will use the movie Empire Strikes Back. This movie is full of stories about fear, one part especially captures the nature of fear. Let's examine this moment, and see fear through the eyes of Luke Skywalker. When Luke was learning from master Yoda on a faraway planet (leaving home) there was a cave (dark, hidden and unknown) that Luke would occasionally pass. The cave was haunted and it frightened Luke. Yoda noticed Luke's fear of the cave. When Luke wanted to leave and rescue his friends, Yoda convinced young Luke to enter the cave he feared. All of Yoda's training was, in a way was preparing Luke to face his fear of the cave.<br /><blockquote>What was so scary about the cave?</blockquote>Luke wasn't sure why he feared the cave, he just sensed danger.<br /><blockquote>Why did Yoda want Luke to enter the cave?</blockquote>Yoda new that Luke didn't fear what was in the cave, Luke <em>feared</em> what <em>might</em> be hiding inside. Entering the dark cave Luke could hear strange noises, clearly Luke was afraid. He sensed the cave was haunted. Even after all of Luke's training to be a Jedi he still feared the cave and its hidden secrets.<br /><blockquote>What awaited him in the cave?<br />Why did Yoda ask Luke to leave his light sabre?</blockquote>Fear and danger are often confused as the same thing, or at least we treat them the same. We don't notice that fear is a creation of the mind (like so much of our life). Fear doesn't exist if we don't let fear into our thoughts.<br />Yoda asked Luke to leave his light sabre behind because Yoda new the cave was safe and didn't hold any danger to Luke. Yoda wanted Luke to face his fear and realise his fear was only a creation of his mind.<br /><h2>Feelings</h2>Fear is a creation of the mind, but not from our thoughts, fear is born from our feelings. Feelings are a primitive way of thinking, feelings happen without thinking. All fear is connected to the feeling of dying, and is why fear invokes our fight or flight response, our primitive brain tells us our thought is dangerous, and we might die.<br />A big step in self mastery is the ability to control our feeling of fear. First we need to realise fear is not real or permanent it is a feeling. Fear grows from the bad feelings arising from our thoughts. Emotions are linked to our feelings of pleasure and pain. Fear is strong feeling associated with danger and pain.<br />Back to Luke Skywalker. When Luke entered the cave, Yoda wanted to expose Luke to his fear of <em>nothing</em>, the cave wasn't dangerous or haunted. Luke had only projected his fear into the cave, his fear lived and thrived in darkness.<br />Probably every self help book ever written has been about overcoming fear.<br /><blockquote>... you can’t predict the future. All situations are far more complex than you can possibly calculate, and fear has a way of completely screwing with your higher faculties. Whatever horrible moments you’re afraid of, they cannot match the way the situation is actually going to go down. - David, <a href="http://www.raptitude.com/2011/02/we-check-email-17-times-a-day-because-we-like-to-get-high/" title="We Check Email 17 Times a Day Because We Like to Get High">Raptitude.com</a></blockquote><h2>Fear</h2>Fear seems real because it manifests itself in our emotions. Emotions are a primitive part of the brain that overrides our higher faculties. It takes practice to see past our emotions and observe the true nature of our circumstance.<br /><blockquote>In fact, it’s always a feeling. All we want in life and all we fear in life are feelings. Everything you have ever wanted: toys, candy, sex, money, love, letters in the mail, friendship, a clean kitchen — what you really wanted was the feeling they give you. (feelings)<br />Just the same, everything you have ever feared: embarrassment, failure, poverty, rejection, losing your job, getting sick or injured — it’s not the situations that are fearsome, but the awful feelings you expect them to give you. -David, <a href="http://www.raptitude.com/2011/02/we-check-email-17-times-a-day-because-we-like-to-get-high/" title="We Check Email 17 Times a Day Because We Like to Get High">Raptitude.com</a><br />How can you remove the fear?</blockquote>The truth is everyone has a natural fear of the unknown, but some people will challenge their fear. Brave people have learned from experience that fear is mostly a imagined and not a true reflection of the danger. For example many people are scared to walk up to a stranger and ask them out on a date. Why? Is it dangerous? Are they really better off not asking? There is a lot to gain from confronting your fear, and much less to loose.<br />One of the ways we learn to live, is to learn how to die. What does this mean? Well, the ultimate fear, is the fear of dying. If you can accept your death, all your fears will diminish in size. I believe this is one reason why people are attracted to dangerous sports, but this can be a distraction from facing the deeper fears, social fear, the fear of not being accepted and being alone. Learning how to die teaches us to the meaning of life, what do I want to experience before I die? How do I want people to remember me?<br />How is your fear similar to Luke's? Is the fear born from the unknown or is it real? What does real fear look like? Why is fear good for you? Think, how can I use fear to make me better? What is on the other side of fear? What removes fear? Have you ever overcome a fear? Was the fear real? Did the fear need to exist? Was life better with or without fear?<br />The benefit that comes with facing fear.<br /><h2>Bravery</h2>On the flip side of fear is bravery. A person cannot be brave without first knowing fear, and to the person who conquers their fear comes power.<br /><h2>Related Links</h2><ul><li><a href="http://www.raptitude.com/2011/03/why-your-fears-wont-come-true">Why Your Fears Won’t Come True</a></li><li><a href="http://www.raptitude.com/2011/02/we-check-email-17-times-a-day-because-we-like-to-get-high/">We Check Email 17 Times a Day Because We Like to Get High</a></li><li><a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Quote:Yoda">Quotes by Yoda</a></li><li><a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_V:_The_Empire_Strikes_Back">Empire Strike Back Synopsis</a></li></ul></div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/03/should-i-be-afraid.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-4213213012497503512Tue, 01 Feb 2011 23:48:00 +00002011-09-28T13:09:06.562+10:00changeinspiringlifestyleoptimismproductivityself helptime managementvisualisingWhat is a Productive Life?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NrZ658HwmAA/TU4BgZ5uW4I/AAAAAAAACnA/D_-ssbU9fgM/s1600/200px-Busy_desk.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NrZ658HwmAA/TU4BgZ5uW4I/AAAAAAAACnA/D_-ssbU9fgM/s1600/200px-Busy_desk.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Bilboq?uselang=en-gb">Bilboq</a>, via <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page">Wikimedia Commons</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h2 id="whatisaproductivelife">A Productive Life</h2>You hear about productivity in the workplace all the time, but how does it apply to peoples personal life? Personal productivity can be best described as making dreams come true; being productive is about creating desirable change.<br /><ul><li>What is it that you really want to do? </li><li>What gives you a rush of happiness every single time? </li><li>What do you sorely miss when you stop doing it? </li></ul>To answer <a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2010/11/big-question.html">the big question</a>, it is helpful to tune out the world for 15 minutes a day and listen to your heart. Listen to yours and yours alone. What makes you happy?<br /><h2 id="productivechange">Productive Change</h2><blockquote><em>The researchers found that the contrast technique was the most effective in encouraging people to make plans of action and in taking responsibility but only when expectations of success were high. When expectations of solving their interpersonal problem were low, those in the mental contrast condition made fewer plans and took less responsibility. </em>Jeremy Dean-&nbsp;<a href="http://www.spring.org.uk/2011/01/how-to-commit-to-a-goal.php">PsyBlog</a></blockquote>It isn’t enough to dream, the dreams. The change needs to be grounded in reality. Compare your life, with where it is now and how it will change with your dream. Visualise how the dream will fit in your life, good and bad. Ask yourself:<br /><ul><li>What needs to be done?</li><li>How will it change my life for the better?</li><li>How will it complicate my life?</li><li>What am I willing to sacrifice?</li></ul>Everything in life is a reflection of the mind. When you develop the mind you change the lens through which you see the world. Movies are filmed with a variety of lenses, each lens offers a different perspective. When looking at life see the world through the eyes of a movie director and make it interesting; choose the lens and angle that makes the world mesmerising.<br />Nothing in life is permanent, everything changes; being productive is about creating desirable change.<br /><h2 id="workflow">Workflow</h2>Dreams don't come to life on their own. To be productive means working on your dream. This means time needs to be set aside to make the dream real.<br />A good workflow removes distraction to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2010/12/over-stimulated-and-unfocused.html">re-focus</a> effort on what needs to be done; to make the wish come true. At each moment be aware of exactly what needs doing and why. Keep it simple. Remove distractions. Distractions destroy creation. Keep your vision firmly in your mind. Ask, how is what I do today helping my future?<br /><h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>To be productive you need to be aware that time is a limited resource. In advertising you often hear the line, “For a limited time only.” Guess what? Life is short, time is limited. Use it or lose it.<br /><h2 id="relatedlinks">Related Links</h2><ul><li><a href="http://www.spring.org.uk/2011/01/how-to-commit-to-a-goal.php">PsyBlog</a> [How to Commit to a Goal]</li><li><a href="http://www.prolificliving.com/blog/2011/01/31/how-to-awaken-build-and-guard-your-dreams/">Prolific Living</a> [How to Awaken, Build and Guard your Dreams]</li><li><a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2010/12/over-stimulated-and-unfocused.html">Cultivating the Mind</a> [Over Stimulated and Unfocused]</li></ul></div></div>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2011/02/productive-life.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16218106.post-4051259662414048339Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:48:00 +00002011-03-31T09:50:50.673+11:00businesseconomicsfinanceglobalisationmoneyproductivityprosperitysocietyMoney Make the World Turn<div class="zemanta-img separator zemanta-action-dragged" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36495803@N05/4916557151"><img style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4916557151_247ae8d57a_m.jpg" alt="Free Money Collection in Cash" width="240" height="135" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; font-size: x-small; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/36495803@N05/4916557151">epSos.de</a> via Flickr</span></div><p><br /> I am learning that a lot of self improvement is linked to the perception of money. I used to think money was not important for happiness. Personal experience has changed my opinion, I have learnt that money is a tool for defining value. In a manner of speaking it is a score card. A good life pursues lasting value. Money is a guide for value. The value isn't set by the price, value is set by the price people are willing to pay. Money is also a <strong>guide</strong> to the social value you have created.<br /> <br /> The difference between money and value is personal. Personal value is linked to the individual, while money has social value.<br /> <br /> Maybe you were like me and you thought the desire for money made you greedy; the desire to create wealth was selfish. You may believe the pursuit of wealth prevents you from appreciating what you have. I don't believe this is true if money is only used as a tool for exchanging value for value. In it's purest sense when you create money i.e earn money it is done by creating a service or product with something of value. Many wealthy people are careful in how they spend. Money is a tool, it isn't an emotion or a feeling, it isn't a character flaw.<br /> <br /> <strong>Value is Derived from Effort</strong></p><div style="margin: 0px;">Do people appreciate the value if they haven't exchanged effort for effort? How do I create or earn money? How do I create value?</div><div style="margin: 0px;">effort * value = money</div><div style="margin: 0px;">demand/scarcity = value</div><div style="margin: 0px;">effort * (demand/scarcity) = money</div><p><br /> If money is the reward for people who create value, should anything be free. Is it fair to ask someone to work hard to create something, and then give it away for free? If it is given away for free do people value it? When a fisherman gives something away for free, it is bait on a hook. Generally speaking free should ring alarm bells.<br /> <br /> <strong>Easy Money</strong><br /> Do you want to win the lottery so you can spend all your time lounging around and be on permanent vacation? Do the goals and dreams you make depend on you and your actions? Is the dream of winning the lottery limiting you from creating your own future, your own success? If you are not working at improving your situation how can life improve?<br /> <br /> <strong>Capitalism</strong><br /> The best part of capitalism is it is a natural way to do business. To trade value for value. The flaw in the system is it favours those who have wealth and power. Loans try to bridge the gap between those that don't have and those that do.<br /> <br /> <strong>Conclusion</strong><br /> People associate wealth with greed. But what we want is not other peoples money, we want a good life for ourselves. See other peoples success as hope for yourself. Shouldn't people who create value be rewarded? The wealthy man spends his money and rewards other people who create value, and that is how the economy works; we hope. People who create value are rewarded and the money earned by creating value can be used to pay other people who have created value.<br /> The problem is when wealth gives an individual a disproportionate amount of power. How can we separate wealth from power?<br /> <br /> <strong>Related Reading</strong><br /> <a href="http://www.timelessinformation.com/bad-stuff-happens-dreams-are-made/">Bad Stuff Happens, Dreams Are Made</a> [Timeless Information]</p><p><a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2008/10/credit-crisis-in-simple-words.html">The Credit Crisis in Simple Words, Part 1</a> [ Cultivating the Mind ]</p><p><a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2008/10/understanding-credit-crisis-in-simple.html">The Credit Crisis in Simple Words, Part 2</a> [ Cultivating the Mind ]</p><p><a href="http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2009/02/questions-about-credit-crisis.html">Questions about the Credit Crisis</a> [ Cultivating the Mind ]</p>http://www.cultivatingthemind.com/2010/12/does-money-make-world-turn.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Kalnis)